This is the basket Romen has taught for fifteen years, and the one we still make most often. It begins as a flat square of woven leaf and grows upward, row by row, until the sides stand on their own. Nothing is glued and nothing is stapled. The rim is folded back into the weave so the basket finishes itself.
How it is made
Fresh palm leaflets are cut into even strips and softened in clean water for ten minutes, then woven damp so the fibres stay pliable. Each basket takes about two and a half hours at the bench. As the leaves dry over the following days they tighten, and the basket becomes firmer than it felt in the hand.
- Holds fruit, bread, keys or folded linens
- Sits flat on a shelf without tipping
- Light enough to carry with one hand
- Gets firmer as the leaf dries
| Detail | Specification |
|---|---|
| Weave | Tight over-under, folded rim |
| Base | 20 x 20 cm square |
| Height | 15 cm |
| Finish | Untreated natural leaf |
Because every leaf is different, the tone and grain of your basket will not match the photo exactly. That variation is the signature of a genuinely handmade object.
The first row is the whole basket. Get the tension even there and the rest follows.
Use it every day and it will darken gently toward straw. Keep it dry, brush off crumbs, and it will last for years.
